The present invention relates generally to modular communication connectors used to interconnect computers through twisted pairs of telephone wires for high speed digital signal transmission, and more specifically relates to modular communication connectors having means for reducing near end cross talk between the contacts of each connector.
A printed circuit board telephone jack connector that utilizes tombstone capacitors connected between each contact and a ground plane for bypassing noise and high frequency signals to ground is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,115. Also see U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,224 which suggests a similar modular printed circuit board jack that utilizes parallelepiped capacitors in a similar manner. Both of these connectors require an electrical grounding path connected to each capacitor of each contact, comprising a conductive cover member that is soldered to the ground of a printed circuit board.
With ever increasing signal transmission rates there is a need for modular communication connectors that have improved near and cross talk performance. Recently a new telecommunications systems bulletin specification titled xe2x80x9cAdditional Transmission Specifications for Unshielded Twisted-Pair Connecting Hardwarexe2x80x9d was issued by the Telecommunications Industry Association and the Electronic Industries Association xe2x80x9cTIA/EIAxe2x80x9d specifying three, increasing levels of performance Category 3, Category 4 and Category 5. Category 5 is the highest connector performance level characterized by acceptable performance at up to 100 MHz frequencies and 100 Mbps transmission rates.
Increasing performance requirements of modular communication connectors for high speed LAN applications establishes a need in the art for modular communication connectors that can be economically manufactured to achieve higher levels of performance in suppressing near end cross talk.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a modular communication connector with improved near end cross talk performance.
In general a communication connector includes a plurality of contact pairs for conductive connection to respective communication signal wire pairs where a capacitor label is provided to capacitively couple a first contact of one contact pair to a second contact of a second contact pair to improve near end cross talk performance. A common conductive lamina disposed closely adjacent to and spaced from more than one of the contacts further enhances near end cross talk performance of the connector.